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El Diviso – Ombligon

Rare & Exclusive

Finca El Diviso, Huila, Colombia – Advanced Natural Ombligon

– “A truly remarkable competition lot of an extremely rare mutation, masterfully produced by our long-standing friend, Nestor Lasso”.

What to expect in the cup

Strawberry, macaron, cherry bakewell. An outstanding cup characterised by distinct sweetness of almond meringue, elevated by a gummy, jelly-like mouthfeel and a bright multi-layered vivid acidity.

£20.00£80.00

Ombligon is a relatively recent varietal that was identified in the past few years in Huila, Colombia. More specifically, Ombligon is a natural mutation of an Ethiopian Landrace. The term “Ombligo,” which translates to “belly button” in Spanish, is the reason locals refer to this variety as the cherry with a belly. Ombligon shares several characteristics with Caturra, including broad leaves, closely clustered cherries, vertically growing branches, and high yield potential. Additionally, Ombligon exhibits greater density compared to other varieties, resulting in fewer non-developed beans, or “floaters,” in flotation tanks. The cherries are harvested at their optimal maturity, with brix levels ranging from 21 to 24 degrees. Following this, the cherries are placed in open plastic tanks for a 48-hour oxidation period, during which the coffee musto (the juice or extract produced during oxidation) is continuously recirculated. It is essential to monitor the coffee to ensure it reaches 19 brix degrees and that the pH remains above 5. Subsequently, all cherries are transferred to a tank of cold water, where any that float—indicative of being unripe, lower density, or infected with broca—are manually removed. The remaining cherries are then rinsed with water heated to 50°C (thermal shock) to loosen their molecular structure and initiate the fermentation process before being placed into airtight plastic bins for anaerobic fermentation. Prior to sealing the tank, brewer’s yeast is applied to the cherries at a ratio of 1:5 (1 gram of yeast per 5 kg of cherries), diluted in water at 32°C. The cherries undergo fermentation for 38 hours, during which both endemic microorganisms and the added yeast proliferate. After fermentation, the cherries are mechanically dried for approximately 12 hours to quickly reduce moisture content to 18%. They are then stored in closed plastic bags for 2 days in a dark environment to stabilise. Finally, the cherries are transferred to marquesinas to complete the drying process over approximately 15 days, achieving a moisture content of 10.5% to 11.5%.
Eight years ago, Nestor Lasso and his brother Adrian assumed control of the family farm, opting to explore specialty coffee and innovative practices instead of following their parents’ traditional methods. Now, at the ages of 25 and 27, the brothers have collaborated with Jhoan Vergara, another offspring of a coffee farmer, to establish El Diviso. This venture merges their two family farms, El Diviso (owned by Nestor and Adrian Lasso) and Las Flores (owned by Jhoan Vergara), located near the town of Pitalito in Colombia’s Huila region. This alliance has proven beneficial, as the three young men combined their expertise to enhance coffee quality. Six years ago, Cat and Pierre, the founders of CATA Export, joined forces with the three producers to embark on a journey of experimentation aimed at refining fermentation processes and protocols on the farm, with the goal of connecting these coffees directly to the UK market. Although this educational endeavour has required significant time and financial investment, it has yielded exciting results, as these coffees have been featured in numerous Barista competitions throughout Europe, recently achieving first place at the Brewers Cup in Ireland and third place in Austria and more. Currently, CATA Export and Finca El Diviso operate as a cohesive unit. The friendship between Nestor and Cat exemplifies CATA Export’s mission, as their direct collaboration with the farms enriches their understanding of complex topics such as agronomy while fostering relationships that ultimately benefit CATA’s community economically. This approach enables many young producers like Nestor to remain in the coffee industry and pursue a career, and we are proud to contribute further by continuing to showcase some of his remarkable coffees.